For a mobile unit, especially a construction machine, data, such as travel location, service meter, amount of fuel, and engine speed, is required information from the standpoint of managing a vehicle.
In the past, as a method for acquiring data related to this construction machine, maintenance personnel went out to the construction machine, and downloaded historical data written to the internal memory of the construction machine by connecting a personal computer to the construction machine. Then, a plurality of construction machine was managed by storing data collected from a plurality of construction machine into the memory of a computer in the management section.
However, because the collection of information was done by hand, the larger the number of construction machine, and the more remote their location, the more complicated data collection became, detracting greatly from the efficiency of data collection work.
Accordingly, as seen in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 6-330539, attempts are being made to automatically acquire construction machine data using communication means without relying on man power.
The invention disclosed in the above-mentioned publication is one that makes a connection between a management section and construction machine for unfettered two-way communications via communication means, and a data request is sent from the management section, data is extracted by the construction machine, and sent back to the management section. In this manner, the data of the construction machine side is collected at the requesting management section. Consequently, construction machine data can be obtained by a terminal of the management section side.
However, the period of time during which a construction machine engine is not running (in other words, the period of time during which the power is OFF) is long.
FIG. 21 shows the inside of the body of a construction machine. In FIG. 21, if a battery 63 (rated voltage 24V), which is the power source, were, hypothetically, to be connected electrically to a communication terminal 56 at all times even while the engine is OFF, the battery 63 would not be charged by the alternator because the engine would not be running. Thus, the discharge of the battery 63 would proceed rapidly. Conversely, if the electrical connection between the battery 63 and communication terminal 56 were, hypothetically, to be OFF at all times while the engine is OFF, communications with the terminal would be impossible. For this reason, if there is a request for mobile unit information from the terminal side when the engine is OFF, it is impossible to respond to this.
Accordingly, even for construction machine and other mobile units, the engines of which are not run for long periods of time, it is desirable to make communications with a terminal possible while the engine is OFF, and to enable a response to be given to a request from the terminal, and, in addition, to enable wasted power consumption to be held in check.
Furthermore, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 10-68336, there is disclosed an invention, in which, when a signal requesting data relative to construction machine is received from a remote terminal, a construction machine internal controller is started up in response to signal reception, resulting in a state wherein download is possible, and start-stop is performed subsequent to the passage of a fixed period of time after a request signal is received. However, according to this invention, construction machine data cannot be sent to a remote terminal from the construction machine side in a state, wherein the remote terminal is not sending a request signal. That is, it is not possible to cope with a case in which construction machine transmits data on its own.
Accordingly, a first invention is a communication device, wherein the mobile unit side sometimes transmits data on its own, and has as an object the enabling of communications while an engine is OFF, and, in addition, the suppressing of wasted power consumption.
Further, in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 6-330539, an error code is automatically sent to a management section terminal from the construction machine side when a serious malfunction occurs.
Here, it is desirable to be aware of an abnormal state occurring in construction machine, which cannot be constantly managed and monitored by a terminal of the management side, and to accurately comprehend an operating state, and a resting state of construction machine, which cannot be constantly managed and monitored by a terminal of the management section side.
However, according to the invention disclosed in the above-mentioned publication, such requirements cannot be handled.
For example, it is supposed that data concerning the location of construction machine is to be acquired.
According to the invention disclosed in the above-mentioned publication, it is possible to acquire the location of construction machine on the management section side only when there is a request from the management section regarding construction machine. That is, the successive locations of construction machine cannot be acquired by the management section side unless a request is made from the management section. Thus, when the management section does not request location data, if construction machine is moved illegally, it is not possible to deal with this in an opportune fashion. Further, just automatically sending an error code from the construction machine side does not make it possible to deal with an abnormal situation such as construction machine being moved illegally.
In this manner, according to the invention disclosed in the above-mentioned publication, it is not possible to know about an abnormal state occurring in construction machine, which cannot be constantly managed and monitored. Further, it is not possible to accurately comprehend an operating state, and a resting state of construction machine, which cannot be constantly managed and monitored.
A third invention has as an object making it possible to know about an abnormal state occurring in a mobile unit, which cannot be constantly managed and monitored by the terminal side, and to accurately comprehend an operating state, and a resting state of a mobile unit.
Now then, since construction machines are very expensive, they are often rendered to be rented. The rental of construction machines utilizes a system called group rental. This is a system, whereby, due to the fact that there are various kinds of construction machines (small-sized hydraulic excavator, medium-sized hydraulic excavator, large-sized hydraulic excavator, and so forth), these many kinds of construction machines are shared by a plurality of business offices. For this reason, when a certain business office has a request from a client for a specific type of rental machine, and a business office does not have the pertinent type of construction machine, the business office can get another business office to loan it this specific type of construction machine, thereby not missing out on a business opportunity.
To meet the rental requests of clients, each business office must reliably manage the storage and dispatch of its construction machine.
For some time now, managing the storage and dispatch of construction machine at a business office has ordinarily been performed using storage and dispatch management software. That is, every time construction machine is recovered from a rental customer and placed in storage, and every time it is taken out of storage for delivery to a rental customer, an operator records the storage and dispatch history via a personal computer keyboard inputting operation.
However, because an operator performs the inputting operation by visual confirmation, there are times when inputting is forgotten for a long time, or erroneous inputting is performed. Thus, there are instances when a certain type of machine is recorded as being “not in storage” despite the fact that it is in storage, and instances when a certain type of machine is recorded as being “in storage” despite the fact that it is not in storage. In other words, there are occasions when storage and dispatch data does not correspond to the actual storage and dispatch status.
At a business office, when there is a request for rental from a customer, a reply is given to the customer based on the data recorded in the personal computer. However, when the above-mentioned input error occurs, there are times when a business office responds that the specified type of machine “is not in storage and therefore cannot be rented” despite the fact that it is in storage. Thus, although rental is actually possible, rental is declined, and a business opportunity is lost. Further, there are also times when a business office responds that the specified type of machine is “in storage and can be rented” despite the fact that it is not in storage. Thus, although rental is actually not possible, because the business office agreed to a rental, the customer is put to a lot of trouble. If this situation continues, there is the danger that the customer will decide to deal with another manufacturer's business office.
An eleventh invention was devised with this fact in view, and has as an object making possible the real-time recording of the storage and dispatch history of a mobile unit, such as construction machine, and enabling storage and dispatch management to be performed reliably without mistakes.
Further, the delivery of construction machine to a rental customer, or the recovery of construction machine from a rental customer is carried out by loading the construction machine on a trailer. Because of the high cost of transportation by trailer, it is necessary to heighten the efficiency of trailer transport, and to keep transporting costs low. Further, it is necessary to increase rental opportunities and to raise business profits by speeding up delivery to a rental customer and recovery from a rental customer by heightening the efficiency of trailer transport.
A thirteenth invention and a fourteenth invention were devised with this fact in view, and have as an object enhancing the transport efficiency of a mobile unit, such as construction machine.
A first invention is a communication device of a construction machine for communicating between the construction machine and a terminal device, characterized in that:
a communication device, which enables communications with said terminal device when an electrical connection to a power source is ON, and location detecting means for detecting a location of said construction machine are provided in said construction machine;
means for turning ON an electrical connection between said power source and said communication device when an engine of said construction machine is stopped, is provided in said construction machine; and
a time at which the electrical connection between said power source and said communication device is turned ON is changed in accordance with the location of said construction machine detected by said location detecting means.
Further, a second invention is a communication device of a construction machine for communicating between the construction machine and a terminal device, characterized in that:
a communication device, which enables communications with said terminal device when an electrical connection to a power source is ON and travel speed computing means for computing a travel speed of said construction machine are provided in said construction machine;
means for turning ON the electrical connection between said power source and said communication device when an engine of said construction machine is stopped, is provided in said construction machine; and
a time at which the electrical connection between said power source and said communication device is turned ON is changed in accordance with the travel speed of said construction machine computed by said travel speed computing means.
Further, a third invention is a communication device of a mobile unit constituted such that the mobile unit and a terminal device are connected by communication means enabling mutual transmission and reception, and, in accordance with an input operation performed at said terminal device of requesting mobile unit information related to the mobile unit, a content of a request is sent to the mobile unit, and the mobile unit, which receives the request content, acquires, via a mobile unit, mobile unit information corresponding to the request content and sends the acquired mobile unit information to said terminal device, characterized in that:
detecting means for detecting a specified parameter in the mobile unit is provided in said mobile unit; and
when said detecting means detects that the specified parameter has attained a specified value, specified mobile unit information is sent to said terminal device from said mobile unit.
This invention will be explained by referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 26.
That is, communications are carried out between a mobile unit 31 and a terminal device 11 as shown in FIG. 1, and when instructions requesting mobile unit 31 data are sent to the mobile unit 31 from the terminal device 11, mobile unit 31 data is sent to the terminal device 11 from the mobile unit 31.
Meanwhile, in the mobile unit 31, a mobile unit internal parameter, for example, the engine start-up state, is detected by detecting means (for example, a sensor for detecting an alternator voltage value).
Then, when the detection output of detecting means constitutes a specified value (state of engine at start-up) as shown in FIG. 26 (A), mobile unit information is sent to the terminal device 11 from the mobile unit 31 as shown in FIG. 26 (B).
For example, it is supposed that mobile unit information, such as the location of construction machine or some other mobile unit 31, is to be acquired.
According to this invention, even when there is no request for location data from the terminal device 11, the location of the mobile unit 31 is acquired by the terminal device 11 side when the engine is started up. Thus, even in a case in which the engine is started up at night, and the mobile unit 31 is moved illegally, since location data is acquired by the terminal device 11 side at that time, it is possible to deal appropriately with an abnormal situation. Further, even when location data is not requested from the terminal device 11 side, a location history of each time the engine is started is acquired by the terminal device 11 side, making it possible to accurately comprehend the operating states and resting states of the mobile unit 31.
Therefore, according to this invention, even under conditions, wherein there is no request from the terminal device 11 side, since mobile unit information is acquired when a mobile unit 31 internal parameter constitutes a specified value, it is possible to perceive an abnormal situation that occurs in the mobile unit 31, which cannot be constantly monitored by the terminal device 11 side, and it is possible to accurately comprehend the operating states and resting states of the mobile unit 31.
Further, a fourth invention is according to the third invention, and is characterized in that the above-mentioned detecting means is detecting means for detecting the fact that the engine of the above-mentioned mobile unit was started up, and when the above-mentioned engine is started up, the specified mobile unit information is sent to said terminal device from said mobile unit.
Further, a fifth invention is according to the third invention, and is characterized in that the above-mentioned detecting means is detecting means for totaling the engine operating hours of the above-mentioned mobile unit, and when the total value of the above-mentioned engine operating hours either reaches a specified value, or increases by a specified amount, the specified mobile unit information is sent to said terminal device from said mobile unit.
Further, a sixth invention is according to the third invention, and is characterized in that the above-mentioned detecting means is detecting means for detecting the location of the above-mentioned mobile unit, and when the location of the above-mentioned mobile unit changes, the specified mobile unit information is sent to said terminal device from said mobile unit.
Further, a seventh invention is according to the third invention, and is characterized in that the above-mentioned detecting means is detecting means for detecting the relative location of the above-mentioned mobile unit for a set range, and when the relative location of the above-mentioned mobile unit for a set range constitutes a specified relative location, the specified mobile unit information is sent to said terminal device from said mobile unit.
Further, an eighth invention is according to the third invention, and is characterized in that the above-mentioned detecting means is detecting means for detecting a drop in voltage of a power source mounted to the above-mentioned mobile unit, and when the voltage of the above-mentioned power source drops below a specified value, the specified mobile unit information is sent to said terminal device from said mobile unit.
Further, a ninth invention is according to the third invention, and is characterized in that the specified mobile unit information is sent to said terminal device from said mobile unit only when the content of mobile unit-related data to be sent this time differs from the mobile unit-related data sent the previous time.
Further, a tenth invention is according to the third invention, and is characterized in that, by sending change data to the above-mentioned mobile unit from the above-mentioned terminal device, this change data is received by the above-mentioned mobile unit, and the above-mentioned mobile unit changes either a mobile unit internal parameter, or a specified value of the above-mentioned parameter in accordance with the received change data.
Further, an eleventh invention is a communication device of an operational mobile unit for communicating between a plurality of operational mobile units and a terminal device, characterized in that:
one or more business offices at/from which said plurality of operational mobile units are stored/dispatched, and one or more work sites at which said plurality of operational mobile units are operated, are established;
location detecting means for detecting a location of said operational mobile unit is provided in each operational mobile unit;
based on the detection result of said location detecting means and location data for said business office and work site, when said operational mobile unit enters said business office or work site, data stating that this operational mobile unit has entered this business office or work site is sent to said terminal device from this operational mobile unit, and when said operational mobile unit exits from said business office or work site, data stating that this operational mobile unit has exited this business office or work site is sent to said terminal device from this operational mobile unit; and
based on said sent data, data on the entry/exit of said plurality of operational mobile units to/from said business offices or work sites is managed by said terminal device.
According to the eleventh invention, a plurality of areas 130, 131, 132, which the mobile unit 31 enters and exits, are established as shown in FIG. 35. And location detecting means (a GPS (global positioning system) sensor 57) for detecting the location of mobile unit 31, is provided in mobile unit 35.
On the basis of the detection results of location detecting means 57 and the location data P, Q, R of the plurality of areas 130, 131, 132, when the mobile unit 31 enters area 130a, data to the effect that this mobile unit 31 entered this area 130a (vehicle 31 is in storage at branch office 130) is sent to the terminal device 11 from this mobile unit 31.
Further, when the mobile unit 31 exits area 130b, data to the effect that this mobile unit 31 exited from this area 130b (vehicle 31 has departed from branch office 130) is sent to the terminal device 11 from this mobile unit 31.
And then, based on the sent data, data (“in storage” and “dispatched”) on the entry/exit of the mobile unit 31 to/from a plurality of areas (“branch office 130,” “headquarters 131,” and “branch office 132”) is managed on the terminal device 11.
Thus, according to the eleventh invention, the storage and dispatch history of construction machine and other such mobile units 31 can be recorded in real-time, making it possible to perform storage and dispatch management reliably without errors.
Further, a twelfth invention is according to the eleventh invention, and is characterized in that when the above-mentioned mobile unit exits from any of the areas of the above-mentioned plurality of areas, location data is sent to the above-mentioned terminal device from the above-mentioned mobile unit each time the above-mentioned mobile unit moves a predetermined distance, and, based on the above-mentioned sent location data, data on the movement history of the above-mentioned mobile unit is managed by the above-mentioned terminal device.
Further, a thirteenth invention is a communication device of a mobile unit for communicating between a terminal device and a plurality of operational mobile units for operating at one or more operating areas, characterized in that:
a transportation mobile unit for transporting said plurality of operational mobile units is provided;
one or more storage and dispatch areas, at/from which said plurality of operational mobile units are stored/dispatched, are established, and, in addition, one or more operating areas, where said plurality of operational mobile units are operated, are established;
location detecting means for detecting locations of said plurality of operational mobile units is provided in each of said plurality of operational mobile units;
based on the detection results of said location detecting means and location data of said one or more operating areas, data as to whether or not said operational mobile unit is at said operating area is sent to said terminal device from this operational mobile unit;
based on the detection results of said location detecting means and location data of said one or more storage and dispatch areas, when said operational mobile unit enters said storage and dispatch area, data to the effect that this operational mobile unit has entered this storage and dispatch area is sent to said terminal device from this operational mobile unit;
when said operational mobile unit exits from said storage and dispatch area, data to the effect that this operational mobile unit exited from this storage and dispatch area is sent to said terminal device from this operational mobile unit;
based on said sent data, data as to whether said plurality of operational mobile units is either being stored at or has been dispatched from said one or more storage and dispatch areas, and data as to whether or not said plurality of operational mobile units is at said one or more operating areas are managed by said terminal device; and
based on said managed data, said terminal device issues instructions to said transportation mobile unit to transport said operational mobile unit from said operating area to said storage and dispatch area, or to transport said operational mobile unit from said storage and dispatch area to said operating area.
According to the thirteenth invention, a transportation mobile unit 35 for transporting a plurality of operational mobile units 31, 32 is provided as shown in FIG. 37 (a). Either one or more storage and dispatch areas for storing a plurality of operational mobile units 31, 32 are established. Either one or more operating areas 133, 134, where a plurality of operational mobile units 31, 32 are operated, are established. Location detecting means (GPS sensor 57) for detecting the locations of the plurality of operational mobile units 31, 32 are provided on the plurality of operational mobile units 31, 32, respectively.
Accordingly, based on the detection results of location detecting means 57 and location data for either one or a plurality operating areas 133, 134, data as to whether or not the operational mobile units 31, 32 are located at either one or more operating areas 133, 134 is sent to the terminal device 11 from these operational mobile units 31, 32. Thus, data (“vehicle 32 is located at operating area 134”) as to whether or not the plurality of operational mobile units 31, 32 is located at either one or more operating areas 133, 134 is acquired by the terminal device 1.
Further, based on the detection results of location detecting means 57 and location data for either one or more storage and dispatch areas 130, when the operational mobile unit 31 enters a storage and dispatch area 130, data to the effect that this operational mobile unit 31 entered this storage and dispatch area 130 (“vehicle 31 is stored at branch office 130”) is sent to the terminal device 11 from this operational mobile unit 31.
Further, based on the detection results of location detecting means 57 and location data for either one or more storage and dispatch areas 130, when the operational mobile unit 31 exits from a storage and dispatch area 130, data to the effect that this operational mobile unit 31 exited this storage and dispatch area 130 is sent to the terminal device 11 from this operational mobile unit 31.
Based on the sent data, data as to whether the plurality of operational mobile units 31, 32 is either being stored at or have been dispatched from either one or more storage and dispatch areas 130 (“vehicle 31 is in storage at branch office 130”), and data as to whether or not the plurality of operational mobile units 31, 32 is located at either one or more operating areas 133, 134 (“vehicle 32 is at work site 134”) is managed by terminal device 11.
Accordingly, based on managed data, the terminal device 11 can issue instructions to a transportation mobile unit 35 to transport operational mobile unit 32 from operating area 134 to storage and dispatch area 130, and to transport operational mobile unit 31 from storage and dispatch area 130 to operating area 133. In other words, the terminal device 11 can issue transport instructions to the transportation mobile unit 35 to the effect “Transport vehicle 31 at branch office 130 to work site 133, and on the return trip, transport vehicle 32 at work site 134 and return it to branch office 130.”
For this reason, by dispatching the transportation mobile unit 35 one time, it is possible to carry out the transport of vehicle 31 and the transport (recovery) of vehicle 32 at the same time, making it possible to enhance the transportation efficiency of the mobile units 31, 32.
Further, a fourteenth invention is a communication device of a mobile unit for communicating between a terminal device and a plurality of operational mobile units for operating within one or more operating areas, characterized in that:
a transportation mobile unit for transporting said plurality of operational mobile units is provided;
one or more storage and dispatch areas, at/from which said plurality of operational mobile units is stored/dispatched, are established, and, in addition, one or more operating areas, where said plurality of operational mobile units are operated, are established;
location detecting means for detecting locations of said plurality of operational mobile units is provided in each of said plurality of operational mobile units;
based on the detection results of said location detecting means, location data of said one or more storage and dispatch areas, and location data of said one or more operating areas, when said operational mobile unit enters either said storage and dispatch area, or said operating area, data to the effect that this operational mobile unit entered this area is sent to said terminal device from this operational mobile unit, and when said operational mobile unit exits from either said storage and dispatch area, or said operating area, data to the effect that this operational mobile unit has exited from this area is sent to said terminal device from this operational mobile unit;
based on said sent data, data as to whether said plurality of operational mobile units is either being stored at or has been dispatched from said one or plurality of storage and dispatch areas, and data as to whether or not said plurality of operational mobile units is at said either one or plurality of operating areas are managed by said terminal device; and
based on said managed data, said terminal device issues instructions to said transportation mobile unit to either transport said operational mobile unit from said operating area to said storage and dispatch area, or to transport said operational mobile unit from said storage and dispatch area to said operating area.
According to the fourteenth invention, the same effects as the thirteenth invention are obtained.
Further, a fifteenth invention is a communication device of a mobile unit for communicating between a mobile unit and a terminal device via a communication satellite, characterized in that:
a communication device, which enables communications with said terminal device when an electrical connection to a power source is ON and clocking means for clocking timing are provided in said mobile unit, and
means for turning ON the electrical connection between said power source and said communication device each time the timing clocked by said clocking means and a flight timing of said communication satellite coincide when an engine of said mobile unit is stopped, is provided in said mobile unit.
Further, a sixteenth invention is a communication device of a mobile unit for communicating between a mobile unit and a terminal device, characterized in that:
a communication device enabling communications with said terminal device when an electrical connection to a power source is turned ON is provided in said mobile unit,
means for turning ON at a predetermined period the electrical connection between said power source and said communication device when an engine of said operational mobile unit is stopped, is provided in said mobile unit, and
said period is changed in accordance with change data sent to said mobile unit from said terminal device.